Author Topic: 30-06 Bullet Choice for Black Bear (Read 4088 times)

dbuck · « **on:** December 20, 2008, 08:55:46 AM »

I'M going to Maine in the fall for black bear and I'm using my 30-06 but I don't know if I should use a Nosler 180 Gr. Partition or Hornady 180 Gr. SST or should I go with a 200 gr. bullet with a Nosler or Hornady. I'm been told my shot is not over 60 yards over bait from a tree stand. Or would you recommend a different type bullet, every outdoor show I see the bear always take off into the woods and you have to track them. What does it take to drop them in there tracks excluding bullet placement which is a given.

Thanks,

dbuck

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #1 on:** December 20, 2008, 05:09:16 PM »

You already know what it takes to drop them in there tracks, a CNS shot, head or spine shot. A good double lung shot will result in short tracking. I have never had a black bear go over 25 yards with a good double lung shot.

I suggest the 180 Partitions, or a 200 gr. bullet.

Also get out of the tree's, and get on the ground. I will never hunt black bear from a tree stand ever again. Once you get on the ground with them, and hunt them on there level, there is just nothing better.

The outfitter I use is a strictly ground blind set up. Top notch

BBF · « **Reply #2 on:** December 21, 2008, 04:45:41 AM »

I would look at the Rem 180 gr SP which is a RN bullet as far as I know.

taylorce1 · « **Reply #3 on:** December 21, 2008, 07:02:14 AM »

I've only taken one bear so far in my life, I used a 200 grain NP out of my .30-06 to do it. I used 52 grains of H4350 to push the bullet. One shot at 200 yards to the front shoulders is all it took to secure my black bear. I don't think you need anything larger than the 180's you have, and probably don't need the Partition either. I just used them on my hunt because I didn't know what else I'd use them on and I was thought an AK bear hunt was the perfect excuse to use them.

I can't argue with how they performed.

Varmint Hunter · « **Reply #4 on:** December 21, 2008, 08:18:30 AM »

My buddy used his 30-06 for black bear hunting in Maine this past season. He was shooting Remington's plain-jane 180gr Core-Loct bullets.

As luck would have it he had a large bear hang up behind the bait at last light. He decided to take the first broadside shot that was possible. I think the shot was 60yd-70yds. Although he aimed for the shoulder the impact was slightly back and he got a classic double lung hit.

We tracked the bear a short distance in the dark but it was easy. Huge amounts of blood were visible with the lights. When we found the bear it proved to be much bigger than he thought. Weighed in at 356lbs.

The old style, no frills, 180gr Core-Loct bullet blew right through that big bear and did plenty of damage along the way. I can't imagine any "premium" bullet doing a better job. Besides, the average black bear killed in Maine is a lot closer to 150lbs than it is to 350lbs.

drdougrx · « **Reply #5 on:** December 21, 2008, 03:28:55 PM »

180'll do it for sure! I'd use a partition though I suspect any old bullet will do. A partition is cheap reletive to the hunt....good luck!!!!

teddy12b · « **Reply #6 on:** December 22, 2008, 06:22:01 AM »

On my last hunt I carried 220gr sierra soft points, but we didn't get one.

My hunting partner got one the year before using 220gr factory remington ammo.

It's like everyone has said the shot is going to be under 100 yards for the most part. Since it's so close I don't see anything wrong with shooting the heaviest bullet you can, whether you need it or not. I still have a bunch of them loaded up and that's what I plan on using if I get to go again.

BBF · « **Reply #7 on:** December 22, 2008, 11:04:47 AM »

They be fine, slow and heavy.

Rev Buck · « **Reply #8 on:** December 23, 2008, 12:43:12 PM »

The 180 partitions will work great. I have used 165 grain Noslers and 165 grain silver box cup-and-cores with good success on black bears. Blessings, Rev

efremtags · « **Reply #9 on:** December 26, 2008, 01:51:45 PM »

A long shot in that area is 50 yrds. Your best bet is heavy for caliber ammo. Premium is not necessary unless you shoot one of the high velocity magnums (over 3200fps or better) so your bullets stay together at these short ranges.

This fall I hunted with 6 guys in NB, Canada. No one used premium ammo. Most guys used 06 with 180gr Rem Corelokt. I used 45/0 405Gr rem (handload) and 1 guy used 7mm with core lokt. No one had bear run over 30 yards.

I had similar results with a 300WM using 180gr Rem corelokt several years ago. I had a complete pass through on a quartering shot, bear went 60 yards.

I would not shoot smaller than 7mm-08 class in this region for fear of losing an animal on the run due to poor blood sign. You need complete pass through and a short kill distance otherwise tracking is tough in that thick country.

1911crazy · « **Reply #10 on:** December 26, 2008, 02:55:00 PM »

My brother shot a bear with my reloads. I was loading the speer 180gr magnum mag-tips and they worked awesome. It dropped dead on the spot. I did wet sand tests first and the field damage equaled the damage in wet sand. The bullet exploded just like it did in the wet sand. Its a great round.

My 338winmag went right thru a blackbear and broke 3 ribs on the exit. I was using new over the counter winchester super X 225gr ammo.

Ak.Hiker · « **Reply #11 on:** January 01, 2009, 06:06:23 PM »

You may also want to check out some of the 165 grain ammo on the market. The 165 is a good all round weight for the 30/06.

rokefert · « **Reply #12 on:** January 21, 2009, 01:05:38 PM »

I would not worry about dropping the bear in it's tracks. If you make a good double lung or heart shot, your bear will not go far. In fact well hit bear die faster than well hit deer. Forget the shoulder shot, too many people dont place it correctly. 180 grn. bullets will work fine. Just remember, bears shot in the lungs and heart die. Miss those two organs and get ready to do a lot of walking.

NYHunter · « **Reply #13 on:** February 09, 2009, 05:15:38 AM »

I used my '06 shooting Rem. 180 grn. Core-Lokt SP at 50 yards ... worked like a charm. Double lung shot, the bear went only 20 yds. If you want to drop them in their tracks you have to go for the spine or neck. I prefer hunting from a tree stand because your bullet will have a downward trajecory giving you a lower exit wound and hopefully a blood trail. When hunting from the ground you don't get that, the bears lungs fill with blood and you don't get the blood trail.

Savage_99 · « **Reply #14 on:** February 09, 2009, 05:28:38 AM »

dbuck,

Use a Partition as it covers more situations. In a post above someone aimed at a bears shoulders and double lunged it. What if the bear had turned and the shot had only hit bone?

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #15 on:** February 09, 2009, 06:01:57 AM »

Quote from: NYHunter on February 09, 2009, 05:15:38 AM

I used my '06 shooting Rem. 180 grn. Core-Lokt SP at 50 yards ... worked like a charm. Double lung shot, the bear went only 20 yds. If you want to drop them in their tracks you have to go for the spine or neck. I prefer hunting from a tree stand because your bullet will have a downward trajecory giving you a lower exit wound and hopefully a blood trail. When hunting from the ground you don't get that, the bears lungs fill with blood and you don't get the blood trail.

Don't need much of a blood trail if you shoot them right.

I have never had a black bear go more than 25 yards from where it was shot. I have had blood trails on all of my bear shot on the ground. I use bore bore handgun that make big holes, and when I use a rifle, it is always a big bore rifle as well. Big holes leave blood trails.

Cabin4 · « **Reply #16 on:** March 27, 2009, 12:30:56 AM »

30-06 using Hornady 150 gr SP leaving the barell at 3100fps.Yes 3100!

Complete pass through at 175 yards with great exspansion.

Sourdough · « **Reply #17 on:** May 21, 2009, 08:14:54 PM »

180gr Nosler Partitions. Works both for Blacks and Grizzlies.

Swampman · « **Reply #18 on:** May 22, 2009, 12:52:32 AM »

Remington 165 or 180gr Core-Loct bullets.

You can't beat them.

Sourdough · « **Reply #19 on:** May 31, 2009, 06:20:45 PM »

By the way check your ballistics charts and you will find the 180gr bullet is the optimal bullet for the 30-06. While the 200gr bullet may hit harder, it does not have the range of the 180. The 200, 220, and 250gr bullets were developed for the .300 WM, not the 30-06.

teddy12b · « **Reply #20 on:** June 01, 2009, 03:31:55 AM »

Quote from: Sourdough on May 31, 2009, 06:20:45 PM

By the way check your ballistics charts and you will find the 180gr bullet is the optimal bullet for the 30-06. While the 200gr bullet may hit harder, it does not have the range of the 180. The 200, 220, and 250gr bullets were developed for the .300 WM, not the 30-06.

I'd have to respectfully disagree with that. I do agree that the 180gr bullet is a great balance of power power and flat ballistics, but when trying to see what bullets to use for long range out of my 30-06 I looked up the 168gr matchking, 190gr matchking, and 200gr matchking. All three of these bullets at 2600 fps (that seems to be the speed they shoot best in my rifle so that's what I used) have different distances where the amount of energy drops below 1000lbs. I picked 1000 pounds because it's a nice round number not because I think it means anything.

168gr MatchKing @ 2600 FPS
@ 550 yards still has 1000lbs of energy

190gr MatchKing @ 2600 FPS
@ 700 yards still has 1000lbs of energy

200gr GameKing @ 2600 FPS
@ 800 yards still has 1000lbs of energy

When I was looking into this I was hoping to find some bullets that hit harder downrange and would hold up better in the wind. I was kind of surprised at what I found. Any of those bullets can get pushed faster or slower, but I used 2600fps because that seems to be the sweet spot for my barrel, but every rifle is different.

Ak.Hiker · « **Reply #21 on:** June 01, 2009, 07:28:02 PM »

Out of the three Sierra bullets listed I would go with the 200 grain GameKing for a hunting load and save the MatchKing loads for target shooting. I know that the GameKing's are good bullets. One of my co workers husband uses nothing else for his 30/06 hunting loads.

rex6666 · « **Reply #22 on:** June 03, 2009, 07:52:15 AM »

all those 500-800 yard statistics are very good since the subject was shooting
little black bears at under 100 yards.
How many of you ever take a shot at a bear at 800 yards?
we have cars that will run 140mph what good does it do.

teddy12b · « **Reply #23 on:** June 03, 2009, 09:12:42 AM »

Quote from: rex6666 on June 03, 2009, 07:52:15 AM

all those 500-800 yard statistics are very good since the subject was shooting
little black bears at under 100 yards.
How many of you ever take a shot at a bear at 800 yards?
we have cars that will run 140mph what good does it do.

The discussion was brought up about bullet weights. The heavier the bullet the more energy it carrys downrange. That's all that was about. This topic was never about shooting bears at 800 yards. Did you even read how that discussion came up?

I've only been on three bear hunts in my life, but at those bait sites and the other ones I saw none of the stands were set up for shots over 100 yards. However, on the way to those bait sites on logging road or whatever there were some spots where we saw bears out in the open, but never got shots off. It's possible to have a 300 yard shot during a baited hunt, but it'll likely be on the way into the site. Does that explain the validity of talking about bullet weights & distances?

Maybe there is a crayon font I can use to show the relationship. All in fun.

Sourdough · « **Reply #24 on:** June 14, 2009, 06:03:35 AM »

teddy 12b has some good points, I have the same thoughts.

While hunting over bait, a good hard hitting bullet is preferred, and ranges are close so range is not a factor.

But how about on the way in you drive by a large meadow and see a monster bear out in the middle, eating grass. 300 yard shot, or maybe 400 yards. Now we are talking some serious drop with big heavy bullets. And energy loss as well with the lighter bullets. Thus my idea of using the 180gr. Good energy retention, and still has good trajectory.

As for rex6666s 800 yard shot, not with an 06.